More Locals Benefitting From Jazz

WITH the process of service contracting for the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival nearing completion, scores of individual entrepreneurs and dozens of firms can anticipate a marked increase in sales for the first and second quarter of 2016, according to the St Lucia Tourist Board.

In addition to the scores of Saint Lucian musicians and the over 100 artisans scheduled to perform and display their offerings across the country over the ten day Festival programme, the trickle-down effect will be felt across a range of sub-sectors through the provision of vital festival ancillary services, the Board said in a statement yesterday.

It said these range from Sound and Light Engineering, Stage Decor, Coordination and Management, Photography, Videography and Emceeing services, Marketing and Media Relations Services, Transportation and Catering, Security services and Cleaning to name a few.

“One of the great successes of the Festival has been that over time, Saint Lucia’s Service sector has clearly risen to the challenge and the opportunity of providing full backstopping for the staging of the Festival” the Board quoted Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Industries Lorne Theophilus as saying.

This, said the Minister, translates to 100 percent Saint Lucian Festival support to the tune of 70 percent of the event budget expended in Saint Lucia. In the process, “the millions of dollars expended through local contracting enable suppliers to also create employment opportunities.”

Firmly grounded as a truly national activity, the acclaimed Jazz & Arts Festival is the largest and most recognized musical, cultural and historical showpiece on Saint Lucia.

To date, dozens of small, medium and large sized enterprises have responded to Request for Proposals (RFP’s) to provide technical and logistical support towards staging the iconic festival, now into its 25th year.

“This allows for capacity building through the development of a cadre of highly skilled and competent individuals, who over the two decade history of the festival, have honed their respective talents and skills,” noted Director of Tourism Louis Lewis.

The Silver Jubilee, 25th anniversary edition of the Saint Jazz & Arts Festival runs from April 29 to May 8 and features a stellar line-up of performers who blend island culture, famed musical talent and diverse musical genres.

Local superstars performing on mainstage for the 25th anniversary include legendary jazz guitarist Ronald ‘Boo’ Hinkson, R& B Crooner Irvin ‘Ace’ Loctarand Groovy Soca phenomenon Teddyson John.